Fire at Yuma-area packing shed to smolder for days

By Dave Dulberg | November 23, 2012 at 7:13 amUPDATED: November 23, 2012 at 7:14 am

YUMA — A fire that destroyed a group of produce packing sheds east of Yuma is expected to smolder for days as piles of burned cardboard cools and foam building insulation continues to send up smoke.

Three large sheds at the Bruce Church produce packing sheds in the Gila Valley burned in the blaze that broke out Wednesday afternoon. Rural/Metro Fire Department crews kept the flames from consuming a fourth building where ammonia used in refrigeration was stores.

Rural/Metro spokeswoman Charly McMurdie tells the Yuma Sun the smoke rising off the collapsed buildings does not present a health hazard.

One person who was apparently inside the packing shed when the fire erupted was hospitalized but McMurdie had no update on their condition Thursday.